Learn How a Lack of Machine Guarding Puts Workers at Risk
We all understand there are hazards associated with many jobs. However, we expect our employers to keep us safe in the workplace. One way an employer can help protect employees from serious work injuries, including burns, blindness, loss of a limb, or a crushed extremity, is through the use of effective machine guarding.
Potentially Dangerous Machinery in Factories and Warehouses
Any machinery that is used in an industrial setting should have guarding in place to protect and avoid serious injury by a user and anyone in the area. Some of the most common types of equipment in manufacturing settings include:
- Plastic goods manufacturing machinery— Machines used to manufacture cups, plates, and other plastics depend on operators using injection molding or thermoforming machines. These machines not only work at high speeds but can also cause severe injuries. Parts that fail, machine jams, or other events can cause fires, flying debris, or metal projectiles.
- Various presses— Mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic presses are used to bend and form metal and make large sheets of metal into common shapes. Examples of products that require presses include automobiles, refrigerators, dishwashers, and laundry machines. It should come as no surprise that the use of these machines requires not only special training but also appropriate guarding to ensure the user’s safety.
- Stationary or portable power saws— Guards help reduce the risk of flying debris, which could potentially result in a user’s being blinded. Other guarding protects users from potential amputation of fingers or hands.
Guarding may be removed or opened in order to perform maintenance or remove debris, but it must be put back into place to ensure the user and others remain safe.
Machine Guarding and Keeping Employees Safe
There are various types of ways to protect employees and avoid serious injury with machine guarding that is approved for use by the Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Some of these include:
- Physical guards—These guards prevent contact with dangerous parts and may be adjustable, interlocked, fixed, or self-adjusting. They ensure a user does not have immediate exposure to any mechanism that can cause serious injury.
- Prevention devices— Some of these include safety trip controls, straps that allow for pullback or restraint, sensing devices that halt the operation of a piece of equipment when motion is detected, and gates or controls that require two-handed operation.
- Feeding and ejection mechanisms— Automating these functions helps eliminate the potential for a machine operator to come in contact with moving parts of equipment during material handling.
- Machine locations — In some cases, the best method of protecting a machine operator during the operation of a machine is the distance between a machine and the physical work area of a worker. This does work in some cases, but in others, it is impractical.
- Additional aids — Barriers may be erected around certain pieces of equipment to inform potential users and others in the area of potential hazards. Face shields, tools which handle materials, and other similar devices can be used to protect not only those who are working in the vicinity of equipment, but also protect the user from harm.
Anyone operating a machine in the workplace should be fully trained in safety protocols. Some of the best ways to avoid injury include not wearing clothing that is too loose, ensuring hair is tied back or contained, and training employees not to attempt to remove a jam or other obstruction until the machinery is completely stopped.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Machine Guarding
To avoid serious injury with machine guarding, the guarding must have certain features to protect operators and others, including:
- Prevents contact with machine
- Remains secured to the machine
- Protects the user from falling objects
- Creates no additional hazards
- Does not interfere with normal operation
- Allows for proper machine lubrication without removal of safeguards
Unfortunately, despite OSHA standards, failure to provide appropriate machine guarding is still cited as one of the top 10 causes of workplace safety violations during routine inspections.
What to Do After You've Been Injured
If you've been injured at work in Texas for a non-subscriber employer, seeking legal counsel is essential. These employers opt out of workers' compensation, altering your path to recovery and compensation. A skilled work injury lawyer can assess your case and pursue damages through a lawsuit if necessary. Swift action is key, however, as these cases often have time-sensitive elements.